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Thailand’s capital to officially become Krung Thep Maha Nakhon

This article is more than 12 months old

How about planning a quick getaway to the Thai capital?

With more travel after the pandemic, that may once again become an easy option for Singaporeans.

But here’s the thing - it may be easier done than said.

That’s because the city is to officially become Krung Thep Maha Nakhon.

Huh? What’s going to happen to Bangkok?

Only this. The capital will officially be known by the Thai name, with Bangkok mentioned only in parenthesis.

The Office of the Royal Society announced this, the Bangkok Post reported.

The Thai cabinet on Tuesday (Feb 15) approved a Prime Minister's Office draft announcement on updated names of countries and capitals.

But the new official name will not come into effect until it is vetted by a committee in charge of scrutinising all draft bills, the report said. The cabinet has asked the panel to take into consideration additional observations from the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

A government spokesman later said Krung Thep Maha Nakhon would be used only as an official name and Bangkok would still be recognised.

And the Office of the Royal Society clarified that both names could be used.

The official name is usually shortened to Krung Thep by locals.

And guess what? Krung Thep Maha Nakhon is itself a short form of the capital’s full ceremonial name.

And that, translated as “City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnificent City of the Nine Gems, Seat of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected by Vishvakarman at Indra’s Behest” is the world’s longest place name, according to Guinness World Records.

It may take a more than a long weekend to just say that properly.

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